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Happiness Is The Most Important Thing

If you were asked to complete the sentence "life should be...." what word would you complete it with? Fun? Adventurous? Spontaneous? All correct, appropriate choices, however, the word I would use is happy.

I am a massive believer in the fact that happiness should always come first, in every situation. It should be at the heart of what we do and if the happiness of an individual or group of individuals is to be lost or sacrificed by carrying out an act, then the act really ought to be considered more carefully before being effectuated.

The word 'happiness' itself is just such a bright, positive word and I think it is important that we start putting, not only the happiness of others first, but the happiness of ourselves.

Of course, in an ideal world, everyone would be happy with everything 24/7, but that will never be possible. We live in a world full of so much hate, unkindness and violence that happiness for everyone is only a dream, but that doesn't mean we can't work on our own happiness to make the majority of our lives enjoyable.

It can be very easy to feel forced into doing things that you don't want to do. Pressure from peers, teachers, family members and bosses can all lead to us feeling as though we HAVE to do something because it will make them happy. Making other people happy is something which we need to aim to do every day but please never feel as though you need to sacrifice your own happiness to please other people.
Personally, I have been in many situations where others have tried to persuade me to do things because it's what they want. I'm sure we have all been there, people make it sound as if doing said things will benefit you, but really, it's what they want to see happen.

If you don't believe doing something will have a positive effect on your life, the simple message is, don't do it! Be strong enough to say no and have the courage to speak out about your feelings. I strongly believe that standing up for your own happiness and admitting that walking away from either a person, situation or action that does not put you in a place where you feel happy, is one of the bravest things one could ever do. It is a true skill to be able to put your mind into that place where it realises that personal happiness is the most important thing. We humans strive to pursue the happiness of others but how can we make others happy if we are not happy ourselves?

Of course, there will always be mandatory things that you must do in life as we cannot be in control of our lives 100% of the time, however, we are always in control of our feelings and there is a way around everything. Yes, you do have to go to school but if it is making you deeply unhappy and you have tried your hardest to love it, then there is always the option of changing schools, although, drastic changes do not always have to be made instantly. Sometimes, just changing the way you see one thing or adding or taking one part of your day out can make a big difference. Happiness is not something you can force but is something that you can aim for and take little baby steps to reach.

Another thing humans excel in is not realising the happiness they deserve. We spend so much of our time, convinced that everyone else deserves more than us but it is vital that you realise you are just as worthy of happiness as anyone. There is no reason why you should not feel comfortable with your life. Just because someone is more famous or has done particular things in life which you have not, it doesn't mean they have any more of a right to contentment. I cannot stress enough the importance of accepting happiness because you are a special person who should get everything they want out of life.

We all have things which make us happy. We have specific hobbies, people, places, objects in our lives which, when we are around, make us feel warm and fuzzy. You should seek out these things, which you may have already found, so you know where, who and what to reach for when feeling down. It doesn't have to be conventional either. Listening to music is great but if that isn't something which takes your mind out of a grey place and you would much rather sit and knit a scarf or go on a five mile run, then that more than acceptable. Having our own things which make us feel good is a necessity for diversity in society. If everyone liked the same things, how boring would our world be? Also, don't feel ashamed about what makes you smile and never be afraid to try new things due to worrying whether it will make you miserable or not. If it does, you never have to do it again! That's the beauty of life; we have the power to experiment.

If there is one thing that you take from this blog post, I would like it to be this:

It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about. - Dale Carnegie

I hope you are all having a happy day today but, if not, just close your eyes, take some deep breaths, count to ten and think happy thoughts....1 happy thought....2 happy thoughts....<3